The Warrior of Light
by ShanoaWarrior
Summary: Having been summoned to a parallel world and asked to fight a tyrannical ruler in exchange for a way home, Kirito is told that he must retrieve a weapon from a deceased integrity knight to battle the dark emperor, Vecta. When he finds the legendary Blue Rose Sword, Kirito gets more than he bargains for when the spirit of the sword's previous owner decides to test his worth.


**A/N: I do not own Sword Art Online; I write this fic for your enjoyment only. This story is an AU with differences from the original. It will also include some elements from another one of my favorite anime series, Seraph of the End/Owari no Seraph. Readers who are fans of SAO and OnS will recognize them but for those who are not familiar with both series, I will explain those elements in my footnotes at the end. **

** The Warrior of Light **

"Is he awake?" a young female voice asked as the speaker stole a glance at her companion before they both looked down at the subject of their concern, a raven-haired young man clad in blue pants and a white dress shirt, who was lying on the floor in the middle of a ritual circle they had drawn.

Kazuto Kirigaya, better known by his adventurer name, Kirito, groaned as he slowly opened his eyes and found himself lying on a cold floor looking up at two young teenage girls, who appeared to be sisters as they sat on their knees at each side of him. ***1*** One of them had shoulder-length straw-colored hair while the other had longer light brown hair tied into two pigtails. Both girls had pale blue eyes and were regarding him with great interest.

"It would seem so, Fizel," the girl with the pigtails answered. "Considering that we brought him here in one piece and with his clothes on, I'd say our summoning ritual was a success."

"Shh!" the short-haired girl named Fizel hissed. "You don't want to scare him, do you, Linel?"

"Okay, okay, I get it. Now that he's here, we can tell Her Eminence and let her explain things," Linel replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Explain what?" Kirito asked as he sat up and stared at the two young girls. "What am I doing here? And what is this place?"

"Please, one thing at a time, sir. You are in a summoning chamber at the Central Cathedral in Centoria, capital of the Human Empire," Fizel answered politely.

"We summoned you here on the orders of our ruler, Cardinal Lyceris, the Pontifex of the Axiom Church and Empress of the Human Empire," Linel added.

Kirito stared at the girls in confusion. "What? Centoria? Axiom Church? Human Empire? I've never heard of any of those…"

"Of course not; we don't expect you to since you were summoned by us from another world," Fizel explained.

"And_ why_ was I summoned here? Care to explain to me why you girls suddenly ripped me from my world and brought me to yours?" Kirito demanded irritably. The last thing he remembered before waking up in this ritual chamber was falling asleep at his desk in his room after a rough day at school.

"Please accept our apologies, sir. We were only following the orders of our ruler. She told us that she will explain everything once we have brought you here safely," Linel answered. "But before we bring you to her, can you please tell us your name and more importantly, how you are feeling?"

Kirito placed a hand on his forehead and closed his eyes for a moment. "My name is Kirito. And I am fine for the most part; I just have a slight headache, probably from your summoning ritual. But other than that, I'm fine."

"Good to hear," Fizel said in relief. "If you're good to walk, can you follow us to the Pontifex's chambers, Sir Kirito?"

Knowing that he wasn't going to get any more answers until he saw this ruler that Fizel and Linel spoke of, Kirito sighed and nodded.

"All right. Lead the way."

**SSSSSS**

Kirito remained silent the entire time he followed the young sisters, who led him through what they called the "Central Cathedral". He listened quietly as they explained how this tall and extravagant tower was home to the one who ruled the Human Empire as well as the Integrity Knights and other sages who served her. Interestingly enough, the Central Cathedral had exactly one hundred floors, with the top floor being exclusively the chamber and residence of the current Pontifex of the Axiom Church.

Not wanting to test their guest's patience by making him take the stairs, Fizel and Linel opted to let him use the lift as they accompanied him. Kirito did not seem too surprised to see it since the small chamber did resemble an elevator from his world, only it was powered by energy crystals in a glass dome at the center instead of electricity from a power grid. This piqued Kirito's interest and made him momentarily forget his displeasure for being sucked into a strange world without his knowledge and consent, passing the time by gazing at the rainbow crystals.

After a few moments, the lift came to a halt. The two young sisters turned to Kirito and made a beckoning gesture for him to exit.

"We've arrived," Fizel said. "Please follow us."

"All right…" Kirito replied without emotion as he followed his guides out of the lift and down the hallway. Although he noticed that the walls were decorated with rows of paintings as well as other curious artifacts, Kirito kept his hands to himself, much to Linel's relief. She did not want to irritate the young man by chiding him like a child when she and Fizel were the ones who brought him here, even if it was on the orders of the Pontifex herself.

When they were finally in front of the Pontifex's chambers, the sisters rapped on the doors loudly to get the occupant's attention. After a moment of silence, Kirito, Linel, and Fizel finally heard a soft, feminine-sounding voice on the other side answer.

"You may enter."

As soon as they had permission, Fizel and Linel approached the double doors and pushed them open, allowing Kirito to enter. Once as he stepped inside, the young sisters followed suit and closed the doors behind them. Upon entering the chamber, Kirito found himself quite shocked to see that the one whom Fizel and Linel claimed to be the Pontifex of the Axiom Church and ruler of the Human Empire was a mere child, a petite girl who looked no more than twelve years of age. Dressed in a long, purple, concealing gown with a matching hat and brown leather boots, the girl looked more like a scholar than an empress or pontifex as she sat at her oak desk before turning her attention to her guests and greeting them with a polite smile. Looking around the chamber, Kirito was also surprised to see that it looked much like a library, with shelves of books adorning the walls and a simple bed at the center.

Stepping in front of Kirito, Fizel and Linel made a polite bow to their ruler as well as a sweeping gesture towards the young man himself.

"Your Eminence, we have brought him here as per your orders," Fizel said.

"We hope he is the one you are looking for," Linel added.

"Thank you, girls. I will speak to our guest to see if that is the case. If not, I shall have you send him back with an apology. Please leave us."

"As you wish, Your Eminence," the girls said in unison before rising to their feet and leaving Kirito alone with their ruler.

After Fizel and Linel were gone, the Pontifex raised her wooden staff and tapped it lightly on the floor. Kirito watched with amazement as disk of light appeared on the very spot and a small wooden table with two chairs seemed to rise from the floor. As if that wasn't remarkable enough, the table was also adorned with several plates of food and drinks, making him realize how hungry he was since he woke up in the summoning chamber. The smell of the food made Kirito want to drool, but he refrained from doing so out of propriety, especially in the presence of someone of a high station as his hostess.

Turning to Kirito, the Pontifex smiled and bade him to sit. "Come have a seat, young man. You must be famished. I will explain everything while you eat."

Kirito blinked, startled that a little girl would address him in such manner, as if she were much older than him.

"Young man? Excuse me, but you look even younger than me, Your Eminence," he said incredulously as he finally took a seat at the table.

The Pontifex laughed, not the slightest bit offended at her guest's remark. "Yes, you would think that. But don't let my appearance deceive you; I'm actually old enough to be your grandmother," she said kindly before taking a seat at the table herself.

"Then that must mean you aren't human, are you, Your Eminence?"

"Who knows?" she answered vaguely with a shrug. "By the way, you don't have to address me as 'Your Eminence' since you are not one of my subjects or a native of this world. My name is Cardinal Lyceris."

"And I'm Kazuto Kirigaya. But most people call me Kirito," he replied. Even though the Pontifex did not ask for his name, Kirito felt it would be rude not to give it after she had introduced herself to him first.

"Ahh, I see. A clever combination of your first and last name. It must be a code name of some sort, yes?"

"That isn't far from the truth…" Kirito admitted before he finally noticed that all the food on the table was actually food from his world. And not only that, they were his favorite dishes as well.

"Hey, how did you know what my favorite foods are?" Kirito asked curiously as he finally took a fork and knife before cutting into a big, juicy steak on the plate before him. Next to the steak was a baked potato and some steamed vegetables, the kind his younger sister, Suguha, would make for him back home.

"Oh, I know quite a bit about you, Kirito, not just your favorite foods. That's why I chose you," Cardinal answered.

"Chose me for what?"

The Pontifex took a sip of her tea from her side of the table before answering. "I am in need of your help, Kirito. The empire I rule is in danger from an invasion from a region called the 'Dark Territory'."

"An invasion? Pardon me, but what can_ I_ do? Don't you have an army to combat this invasion you speak of?"

"I do. But it's not the armies of the Dark Territory that concerns me so much as their ruler, someone that only _you_ can take down."

"And why me?"

"Because he is actually someone from_ your _world, the Emperor Vector. I do not know his true identity since he is able to block my telepathic probing, but I do know that only a powerful warrior from his own world can defeat him."

"And if I do, will you send me home?"

"Yes…and not only that, I will reward you as well since I _did_ have my servants summon you here without warning. I apologize for that but the survival of my people will be depending on you, Kirito."

Kirito sighed but nodded. Even if this was not his world, it was simply against his nature to ignore people in need.

"I understand. What do you need me to do?"

"Well, to start with, I will give you this…" the child-like woman answered as she stood up and raised her staff again, this time, in a horizontal swipe, and before Kirito's amazed eyes, a beautiful dark sword encased in an ebony sheath appeared, floating over the dinner table. "Take it, it's a gift. And one of the things you will be needing to fight the Dark Emperor."

Without hesitation, Kirito reached for the sword and unsheathed it. In addition to the dark violet handle, hilt, and pommel, the sword also had a blue-black blade that actually glittered like the starry night sky.

"It's beautiful," he breathed.

"And powerful," Cardinal added. "I call it the Night Sky sword."

"I see… I notice it's also quite warm to the touch. Why is that? Is this sword new from the forge?"

The Pontifex laughed good-naturedly at Kirito's naive but understandable question.

"Goodness, no! It's actually well over a century old. And despite its appearance, the Night Sky sword is not actually made of metal, but of cooled magma from the empire's most powerful volcano. ***2***That's why it feels so warm, because its power is that of heat. But as powerful as it is, it won't be enough for you to defeat the forces of darkness since the Night Sky sword itself is also a dark weapon. You will need an additional weapon, a weapon of light."

"And do you have one to lend me?" Kirito pressed.

"Well, yes and no. In the beginning, I did create two of these swords to complement each other with the powers of light and darkness as both are necessary to balance this world. But the sword of light, the Blue Rose Sword, is actually no longer in my possession."

"Are you serious? Then where is it?"

"It is in a cave to the north of a village called Rulid, birthplace of the Blue Rose Sword's previous wielder, Sir Eugeo Lacarde, formally known as Eugeo Synthesis Thirty-Two back in the days of my predecessor, Lady Quinella." ***3***

"I see. I am not familiar with the geography of this world. How will I find this village?"

"You need not worry. I will provide you with a horse and everything else you will need to make the journey. From Centoria, it will take you about a week to get to Rulid. You do know how to ride a horse, do you? I get the feeling they are not a common means of transportation in your world."

"They are not," Kirito confessed. "Horses are used more for pleasure riding than transportation since they are obsolete in that department. In my world, people use things called 'cars' for transportation. They are like carriages that can run without horses because they are powered by something called an 'engine'."

"Ahh… I think I understand," Cardinal said with interest. "They're similar to how the lift that brought you here is powered by energy crystals."

"Right. I'm guessing you don't have such a transportation method in this world?"

"Unfortunately, we do not. Will you be all right riding a horse?"

"I think I can manage," Kirito answered. Although he had never ridden a horse in real life, he had done so while he was trapped in the virtual world of Aincrad and was sure that the concept was still the same. Even if the world he was in was not VR, but a parallel world to his own that was every bit as real. ***4***

"I'm glad. It's settled, then. I'll arrange for everything you need on your journey, but you should set out first thing tomorrow morning. The sooner you obtain the Blue Rose Sword, the better."

If he were anyone else, Kirito might have rolled his eyes and been less than thrilled to have his destiny decided for him by a total stranger, and one from another world at that. But Kirito wasn't just anyone and actually found the challenge appealing.

"All right, then. I will head out first thing tomorrow."

The Pontifex smiled, her expression a mixture of relief and gratitude. "Good. Thank you, Kirito; you don't know how much this means to me."

"Oh, I think I do," Kirito said with a touch of humor. "But you're welcome just the same."

**SSSSSS**

"Let's see… According to this map, Rulid is supposed to be south of Centoria," Kirito mused to himself as he gently spurred his horse onward. Much to his relief, Kirito discovered that his ability to ride a horse in a virtual world had helped him to do so in this one as well. It had been six days since he had left the capital of the Human Empire, and if the map in his possession was correct, he should be arriving at the small countryside village soon, another day at most.

As she had promised, the Pontifex had provided Kirito with everything he needed to make his journey in search of the Blue Rose Sword. In addition to his mount, Cardinal also gave him food, water, and two weeks' worth of money, as well as new clothing that would allow Kirito to blend in with the locals and not draw unwanted attention to himself. When he had arrived in this strange new world, Kirito was clad in the white dress shirt and blue slacks of his school uniform. Now he was dressed in a dark blue tunic and brown pants as well as knee high boots of the same color.

Normally, Kirito preferred dark clothing, even in real life. But he also knew that it was best for him to fit in with the people of this world as much as possible for as long as he needed to be here. Even so, Kirito's features, which were considered quite exotic, at least for the region where he was traveling, did not go unnoticed by people who saw him. In fact, he could not recall seeing even one person with the same hair and eye color as himself since he had left Centoria almost a week ago. So far, everyone Kirito had run across had been blond, brown, or red-haired with blue, green, or hazel eyes. Not one person had his blue-black hair or steel-gray eyes.

Hoping that this would not pose too much of a problem, the young man continued onward until he saw the houses and shops of a small village in the distance. Checking his map to confirm that this was indeed Rulid Village, Kirito sighed, relieved that he had finally arrived, for his inner thighs were getting sore from being in the saddle for nearly eight hours straight. His lower back also ached, proving beyond a doubt that he was not in a virtual world as he had suspected when he woke up in the summoning chamber back at the Central Cathedral. Now that he was finally within walking distance of the small countryside village, Kirito finally dismounted with the intention of walking with his horse the rest of the way. After nearly a week of camping out while on the road, he wanted nothing more than to check into a room at the local inn where he could finally have a hot meal and a warm bath.

Unlike Centoria, which had dozens of inns, the small countryside village of Rulid had only one. And it wasn't anywhere near as luxurious as those back at the capital, but it was much cheaper and still decent. Which was all Kirito cared about anyway. After all, he wasn't here on vacation; he had a mission to find the Blue Rose Sword so he could fight the Dark Emperor.

Before entering the inn to ask for a room, Kirito left his horse at the inn's stable. As he expected, the stable boy regarded him curiously for his raven hair and sharp, slanted gray eyes. But to prevent him from asking too many probing questions, Kirito gave the stable boy a generous tip to care for his horse while claiming that he was tired from his travels and wanted to get a room to rest as soon as possible.

Thankfully, the stable boy took the hint and thanked Kirito before taking his horse into the inn's stable. Once that was taken care of, Kirito took the bag with his belongings into the inn. Like the stable boy before her, the young female innkeeper at the front desk regarded him with curiosity and, judging from the blush creeping up her cheeks, great interest as well. After all, it wasn't often that such an exotic-looking and handsome young traveler showed up in these parts.

Trying not to stare, the young innkeeper cleared her throat and gave Kirito a proper greeting.

"Good day, sir. How can I help you?" she asked.

Taking some coins that served as the currency in the Human Empire, Kirito placed them on the front desk before her.

"I need a room for the night. Two at most. Will this be enough?"

The innkeeper took a glance at the coins and quickly noticed that it was actually enough money to cover the cost of a room for an entire week.

"That is more than enough," she answered. "I don't need this much if you only intend to stay for a night or two. You aren't from around here, are you?"

Kirito shook his head. "No, I'm actually from the capital and just passing through," he answered. Though Kirito disliked lying, this was as close to the truth as he could get without revealing that he wasn't from this world at all. Not like anyone would believe him anyway if he did. If anything, people here would likely think him crazy if he revealed his true origins.

"I see… Well, that makes sense. I've heard some parts of Centoria are quite expensive and the cost of a room for one night there would cover a week's lodging in a small village inn like this," the innkeeper replied as she refunded the extra money Kirito had offered. "Just so you know, we do provide lunch and dinner here, but if our food and drink is not to your liking, there are some other restaurants and taverns in town you can try."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Here is your room key. You'll be staying in room two, which is upstairs, second from the left when you get to the hallway; you can't miss it."

After the innkeeper had handed him his room key, Kirito took his belongings and went upstairs. It was still early afternoon, but after traveling throughout most of the night because he wanted to get to Rulid a day sooner, Kirito found himself wanting some much-needed rest before he could go out seeking information on the sword that he needed. Though the raven-haired youth was a bit hungry, he figured that it would be better to wait until he went out later as to not spoil his appetite for a good hot meal.

**SSSSSS**

It was late afternoon before Kirito finally woke up and made his way into town. After being on the road for almost a week and camping outdoors prior to arriving in Rulid, he was all too grateful to have a soft bed to sleep in again, something he had taken for granted back in his own world. And though Kirito knew he had enough money to dine anywhere in town that he liked, he chose a local tavern because such places were the best for obtaining information. And being such a small village, Rulid had only two taverns at most, but Kirito chose the one closest to the inn where he was staying. Thinking that it was best to try and blend in with the townsfolk as much as possible even though he was a traveler, Kirito quietly opened the door to the tavern and went in.

And much to his relief, very few people took notice of him, especially when most of the tavern's patrons had just gotten off of work and wanted nothing more than to enjoy a drink in peace before heading home to their families. A few of the patrons as well as barmaids took note of Kirito's appearance for a moment before going back to their business, something he was very grateful for. Making his way to the bar, Kirito called for the bartender, a bearded middle-aged man, and placed a few coins on the counter. Were this the real world, he would have been under the legal age to enter such an establishment, but since no one had asked him for his age since he arrived, Kirito assumed that there was no legal drinking age in this world as long as one looked old enough.

"Hey, there, young man. What can I get for you?" the bartender asked politely.

"I'd like some ale," Kirito began. "And a bit of information, if you please. I'm not from around here."

The older man chuckled as he took in Kirito's exotic features. "Yes, I can see that. Where are you from, if you don't mind me asking, son?"

"Centoria," Kirito answered. "I like to travel. One of my hobbies is collecting rare treasures and antiques, and I've heard rumors of something very valuable in the caves north of the village."

Though Kirito tried to avoid mentioning the Blue Rose Sword directly to avoid rousing suspicion, his inquiry made the bartender raise a brow as he filled a tankard full of ale before placing it before him. Back home, Kirito was below the legal drinking age, being only seventeen. But out of curiosity, he still managed to persuade his uncle, who had raised him in place of his deceased father, to let him sample some western beers as well as sake. And out of everything he had tried, Kirito found that he liked British ale the best, so he decided to order something similar here.

"Well, you may be right about that, son. A century ago, there was a man born in this village who later became one of the strongest Integrity Knights of the Axiom Church. The Pontifex at that time was very power-hungry and corrupt, so he led a rebellion against her."

"His name was Eugeo Lacarde, right?" Kirito inquired as he took a swig of his ale. ***5***

"Right. Ironically, it was the previous Pontifex herself who bestowed Sir Eugeo's surname upon him when he was admitted into the knighthood since he was born as the son of a humble woodcutter and had no family name. However, just a year or two into his service, he realized that the Pontifex was planning to start a war with the Dark Territory in order to expand the Human Empire and sate her lust for more power. But that war would have costed the lives of countless innocents. And so, Sir Eugeo challenged and destroyed her to prevent that from happening."

"And what happened to him after that?" Kirito asked curiously.

"Unfortunately, Sir Eugeo died of his wounds not long after. And he was quite young, too, probably not much older than you when he passed away. Rumor had it his Sacred Weapon, the Blue Rose Sword, was hidden somewhere in a cave up north. But no one had dared to venture there in order to confirm that."

"Really? Why is that?"

"Well, for one thing, that cave is like a labyrinth. If you don't know where you're going, you can easily get lost and end up wandering into the Dark Territory, never to be heard from again. That is, if you don't get attacked and eaten by goblins first."

"There are goblins there? Has anyone actually seen them, or is that just a rumor to keep people away?"

"I'm not sure. But I'd really rather not find out. And I'd advise you to stay away from that place if you're thinking of going there and trying to find the Blue Rose Sword. It's not worth your life."

"I appreciate your concern, sir," Kirito said before taking down the rest of his ale and reaching into his pocket, pulling out another coin and placing it on the counter as a tip for the bartender. "Thank you for your time. It's been a pleasure speaking with you. I'd like to stick around for dinner, but I think I'm still tired from my long journey, so I should be heading back soon. I'm sure I still have some rations left."

"I see. That's understandable if you've been on the road for a while. But if you still prefer a hot meal, we do offer take-out here."

Kirito's eyes brightened at the offer. "Really? In that case, I'd love to take some food home. What do you recommend?"

"Well, a personal favorite of mine is the grilled chicken sandwich."

"I'll take that, then. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'll have it ready for you in a few minutes. Good luck on your journey, young man. May the gods watch over you."

"Same to you, sir."

**SSSSSS**

Kirito hummed a soft tune to himself as he dismounted from his horse right after arriving at the entrance of the cave north of Rulid. Although he had pretended to heed the warning of the bartender he spoke with back in town to be polite, Kirito knew there was no way he could avoid venturing into the cave if he wanted to find the Blue Rose Sword. And despite what the villagers claimed about not being certain if the legendary Sacred Weapon was actually in the cave, Kirito knew that it had to be; the Pontifex had given him her word that it was. And she had no reason to lie and lead him on a wild goose chase if she wanted his help in defeating the Dark Emperor.

Although he had slept for most of the day upon his arrival in the village before visiting the tavern at night, Kirito was still able to fall asleep after his dinner and bath quite easily. But he supposed that being on the road for nearly a week straight while eating travel rations and sleeping on the less-than-comfortable roadside would make anyone exhausted enough to sleep for a whole day or two. And as tempted as Kirito was to do exactly that, he knew that it would be best for him to find the Blue Rose Sword and start heading back to the capital as soon as possible. So he chose to wake early and make his way slightly north of Rulid for the cave where the Blue Rose Sword was supposedly housed.

After leaving his horse near the cave entrance and making sure the Night Sky Sword was secure at his belt, Kirito finally went inside. As he had expected, the cave was quite dark and from the look of things, it would be virtually impossible to navigate it without some kind of illumination. Thankfully, the Pontifex had provided Kirito with a means to combat this problem as well. Taking a small crystal made of solid ice out of his pouch, he chanted the words Cardinal had taught him to activate its power.

"System call: generate luminous element," he said softly.

No sooner did the words leave his lips, the small crystal in Kirito's hand started to glow with a soft white light and levitate into the air, much to his amazement and wonder. In addition to providing him with sufficient light so that he could see inside the dark cave, the small crystal also acted as Kirito's guide so that he would not get lost, especially since the cave was indeed like a labyrinth as the bartender back in Rulid had promised. Before he left Centoria, Cardinal had instructed Kirito to follow the floating crystal once he was inside the cave no matter what passage it took, for it would lead him right to the Blue Rose Sword without fail. And being what people in this world called a "Divine Object", the ice crystal could not melt no matter how warm its surroundings were.

Keeping his eyes on the floating crystal as it started to move deeper into the cave, Kirito made sure to follow closely and keep it within his sight. Much to his relief, Kirito discovered that his inanimate guide would not move unless he did. So, he did not have to worry about losing sight of it or being left behind.

Now that Kirito knew that the cave was as deep and dark as the Rulid villagers claimed, he made sure to keep a hand on the hilt of his sword at all times in case the rumors of goblins also proved to be true. But so far, Kirito saw no signs of life anywhere, even after wandering the cave for nearly an hour. This surprised him, since he was certain that there would be bats, rodents, or at least insects in the cave. But Kirito did not see so much as a cockroach, so perhaps the rumors of goblins residing within the caves were just that: rumors.

Even so, his warrior's instinct and experience had taught Kirito that danger can come from the most unexpected places, so he did not dare to let his guard down and made sure to keep his eyes peeled as well as keeping himself in a position that enabled him to draw his sword instantly if needed.

After following the glowing crystal for another ten minutes or so, Kirito finally found himself in a large cavern that was well-lit by two rows of torches along walls. Looking around, the young man saw piles of gold and silver coins as well as other fine objects that reminded him of a treasure trove in a pirate movie. And while the treasure was fascinating to look upon, Kirito made sure to keep his distance, for Cardinal had warned him that giving in to temptation and touching anything in the cavern asides from the Blue Rose Sword itself could spring a trap. However, it did not hurt to simply look, and once his eyes had their fill, Kirito returned to the task at hand and followed his floating crystal guide up a tall stone stairway that led to what appeared to be an altar of sorts.

As soon Kirito reached the top of the stairs, he approached the stone alter and saw an ice-colored sword lying on top of it. True to its name, the sword had an intricately carved blue rose at the center of its guard, which also resembled the leaves of a rose as well. For a moment, Kirito could only look at the Blue Rose Sword in awe. So, this was the weapon of light Cardinal told him about that was supposed to compliment the power of the Night Sky Sword as well as rival its beauty.

After a moment's hesitance, Kirito finally reached out to take the Blue Rose Sword. When his hand made contact with it, he was startled to find it very cold to the touch and realized that it was literally made of ice, just like the floating crystal that guided him to it. It also dawned upon Kirito that his crystal guide must have been made from the same block of ice as the Blue Rose Sword, which would explain how it was able to guide him to the Sacred Weapon. However, just as he was about to lift his prize off the alter, the Blue Rose Sword suddenly started to glow with a bright white light until it filled the entire cavern, catching Kirito completely off guard and forcing him to close his eyes and cover them with his free arm in order to protect his vision.

When he felt it was safe to do so, Kirito lowered his arm and slowly opened his eyes. To his surprise, he quickly noticed that he was no longer in the cavern where the Blue Rose Sword was located. Instead, Kirito found himself back in the virtual world of Aincrad. More specifically, he realized that this was the labyrinth of the 27th floor due to the glowing uneven red tiles on the walls.

_No… This can't be! It's impossible; I must be hallucinating!_ Kirito thought as he closed his eyes and grabbed the sides of his head before shaking it frantically.

Opening his eyes again, Kirito gasped when he saw the long-deceased members of the Moonlit Black Cats guild gathered around him in the room.

"Keita? Tetsuo? Sasamaru? Ducker? You're alive?" he gasped.

"Of course not, Kirito. We're all dead. You watched the monsters in this chamber slaughter us all while you held back your true strength to protect your secret as a beta player and save yourself, remember?" a familiar female voice answered from behind him.

Turning around, Kirito's eyes widened when he saw a petite young girl with shoulder-length black hair and blunt fringes, as well as bluish-grey eyes with a small mole under the corner of her right one. Even though he had not seen her in years, Kirito immediately recognized her as his first love prior to meeting Asuna Yuuki, his current girlfriend.

"Sachi…" he whispered. "Is that really you?"

"Of course it is, Kirito. I'm surprised you even bothered to remember me considering that you've got a new girlfriend who's so much prettier than I…" Sachi answered coyly in a tone that Kirito had never heard her use in the brief time that they had known each other.

"Sachi, you know I could never forget you…" he began.

"Oh? That sure sounds touching, considering that you allowed me and every member of my guild to die after those monsters attacked us," she taunted.

"No!" Kirito protested fiercely. "I tried to save you all, I really did! Please, you must believe me!"

Instead of mocking him and refuting his claim further, Sachi merely smiled and approached Kirito before gently embracing him from behind.

"It's all right, Kirito," she cooed. "I understand, really. You just made a mistake. After all, you're only human. But don't worry, I'm willing to forgive you…"

"You are…?"

"Yes…" the younger girl answered from behind him as she leaned closer and whispered in his ear. "Just submit to me, Kirito. Do that and not only will I forgive you for letting me and the others get killed, I will also send you back to your world where you belong. Think about it: you can return to your normal life and your beloved Asuna just like that without having to fulfill the Pontifex's conditions if you bend yourself to my will instead. After all, the people of this world had no right to bring you here and force you to fight their war. Just leave them to their fate; they are not your problem. So, what do you say, Kirito?"

Kirito was silent for a moment as if considering Sachi's offer. When she felt him relax slightly, Sachi loosened her hold on Kirito and waited for his answer. But instead of submitting as she had expected, Kirito suddenly pushed Sachi away before drawing his sword and leveling it right at her face between her eyes.

"Who are you really?" he demanded coldly. "The real Sachi never knew Asuna. Nor would she ever try to guilt-trip me or blame me for what happened to her and the rest of her guild. And most importantly, Sachi would _never_ tell me to willfully turn my back on people in need no matter who they were. Because she was one of the kindest, most compassionate, and forgiving people I ever knew. Answer me, girl: what kind of creature are you?"

The petite girl before Kirito blinked at him as if she were only slightly surprised at his reaction before smiling again, causing him to raise a brow.

"Very good, Kirito; you saw right through my illusion," "Sachi" replied before reshaping herself in front of him until she resembled a handsome young man his age with pale ivory skin, flaxen blond hair, and dark green eyes. ***6***

In addition to being Kirito's height and build, the blond youth was also clad in an elegant suit of ice-colored armor with a flowing dark blue cape. Kirito quickly recognized it as the armor of an Integrity Knight since he had passed one or two of them in the Central Cathedral before leaving Centoria for Rulid almost a week ago.

"You… You're the previous owner of the Blue Rose Sword, Eugeo Lacarde, aren't you?" Kirito asked, having recognized the other young man from Cardinal's description of him.

"Very astute, Kirito. I'm impressed that you figured it out so quickly."

"You're alive? I thought you died after defeating the previous Pontifex a century ago."

Eugeo rolled his eyes. "Oh, I'm dead, alright, make no mistake. It's true that I died from the injuries I sustained from Lady Quinella not long after I defeated her. But what the legends didn't tell you was that with her own last breath, she placed a curse on me by binding my spirit to my own sword, never to be freed until someone worthy of its power finds it when the Human Empire is in danger again. And not only that, the person who finds my sword must also succeed in saving the empire as well."

"And only then would you be freed? If you needed someone to free you, then why on Earth did you mess with me like that? And how did you know about my time in Aincrad as well as Sachi and the Moonlit Black Cats?"

"Because the moment you touched the Blue Rose Sword, it gave me access to your memories," Eugeo answered simply. "As for the 'why', I needed to know if you are someone worthy of my loyalty."

Kirito threw up his arms. "Whoa, I came here to find your sword so that I can fight the Dark Emperor. I wasn't seeking to recruit the help of a ghost."

"Well, too bad, because the sword comes with me and I go wherever it goes. There's no way around it, but the new wielder of the Blue Rose Sword has to be someone who can get along with me, or I guarantee you that having it will be more of a hindrance than help."

"Okay, okay, I get it. So, what do you want me to do?"

"Simple. You already passed my first test, so all that's left to do is to form a contract."

"Test? And what do you mean by forming a contract?"

"First things first. That illusion of your time in Aincrad as well as those guild members you knew was to test your will and resolution. Had you decided to take the easy way out and accept 'Sachi's' offer to send you home so that you did not have to fulfill the original condition set for you by the current Pontifex, I would have immediately rejected you and taken over your body. Because someone who is so quick to abandon those in need to save himself is not worthy to wield the Blue Rose Sword or use my power."

"Oh, the irony…" Kirito sneered. "You wanted to see if I would actually do what you accused me of doing back in Aincrad when you took Sachi's form. If you had access to my memories, then you should already know that I did everything in my power to save her as well as the rest of the Moonlit Black Cats. But I couldn't because our group was vastly outnumbered and I barely escaped that trap we were caught up in with my own life."

"Yes, I knew you tried to save your former companions before saving yourself. I just wanted to see if that would still be the case if you were to venture into the Dark Territory and confront Emperor Vector on behalf of the people in the Human Empire. Would you be wiling to do everything in your power to protect everyone first like you did for Sachi and the others back in Aincrad? Or would you use the power of the Night Sky and Blue Rose Swords to save yourself instead? That's what I needed to know."

"And so, did I meet your expectations? Do I have your approval to use your sword, _Sir _Eugeo Lacarde?"

"Indeed. I found your performance quite satisfactory, Kazuto Kirigaya. And yes, I also know your true name as well. You've got noble intentions as well as a strong will and I like that. As long as it stays that way, I will allow you to use my sword and guide you on your journey. However, should you falter in your resolve and decide to turn your back on the people of this world, I will take your body and make it my own. Do you accept my conditions?" ***7***

Kirito sighed but had to agree. It wasn't like he really had a choice in the matter since Cardinal said he would not be able to defeat the Dark Emperor with just the Night Sky Sword alone; he needed the Blue Rose Sword as well and would not be able to wield it without the approval of its true owner. It wasn't enough that Kirito had made a week-long journey to find this blasted weapon; he also had to make a contract with a one-hundred-year-old ghost who could steal his body at any time as well. Kirito could not help feeling crossed at the Pontifex for neglecting to mention this little detail about the ice-colored sword, since it was unlikely she did not know that Eugeo's spirit was bound to it and that he had conditions for allowing someone else to use his Sacred Weapon. Kirito already had the feeling that the child-like ruler was keeping something from him when she advised him to find the Blue Rose Sword, but he supposed it could not be helped now.

"Fine, I accept," he answered before offering a hand to the flaxen-haired knight.

"Good," Eugeo said before taking Kirito's hand and giving it a firm shake, his tight grip making the younger boy wince slightly. "The contract is made, and my sword is yours to use as you see fit on your journey. Call on me whenever you are in need of my power."

Puzzled, Kirito was about to ask his new spirit contractor what he meant when he suddenly saw the room around him fade before finding himself back in the cavern and standing in front of the alter where he had tried to pick up the Blue Rose Sword earlier. Only this time, Kirito actually found the weapon in his hand, indicating that he had indeed been successful in acquiring it. Not only that, he also had an unexpected companion to accompany him on his journey as well.

Now that he had Eugeo's approval, Kirito was free to take the Blue Rose Sword and wasted no time in strapping it to his belt on the opposite side of the Night Sky Sword. However, after a moment's consideration, the raven-haired youth decided to strap both swords to his back in an "X" pattern instead, like he did back in Aincrad. This was Kirito's preferred way of carrying his swords if he intended to use more than one in combat. He also felt that the positioning would give him more freedom of movement as well.

Once Kirito was certain both swords were securely strapped to his back, he finally made his way down the stairs and was about to leave the cavern. That was, until he heard heavy footsteps as a group of grotesque humanoid-looking monsters made their way into the treasure trove with heavy bags over their shoulders. It wasn't hard for Kirito to guess that the creatures were the goblins feared by the locals and that they came back to add more loot to their treasure collection.

_Crap…_ Kirito cursed. For some reason, seeing the goblins make an appearance reminded him of that tale he had heard from the popular Arabic story collection, _**One Thousand and**_ _**One Nights**_ called "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves". The difference with his situation, however, was that Kirito had no interest in any of the treasure he saw in the cavern except for the Blue Rose Sword itself. Which was also probably the most valuable artifact in the goblins' collection as well.

As Kirito had predicted, the group of at least a dozen goblins noticed him very quickly and their leader growled something to his followers that Kirito could not understand but easily guessed were orders to kill him. Acting on his warrior's instinct, Kirito quickly drew both of his swords and brandished them at the creatures. If he was lucky, the sight of the deadly Sacred Weapons in his hands might be enough to make the goblins back off, but Kirito knew that he shouldn't push his luck and count on it.

And he was right.

Unintimidated by the sight of the Blue Rose and Night Sky Swords in Kirito's hands, the goblins started coming after him one after the other. As an experienced warrior and adventurer, Kirito had faced multiple opponents before but quickly found that even he had difficulty taking on these humanoid monsters alone due to their shear inhuman strength as well as outnumbering him at least twelve to one.

Unlike the monsters Kirito had fought in Aincrad, the goblins he was facing now were not unthinking artificial lifeforms with fighting patterns that he could easily analyze and counter quickly. While they did not appear very intelligent, Kirito was certain that the goblins were still smart enough to know that they could surround and cut off his escape before wearing him down and moving in for the kill if they worked closely together.

And this could be a serious problem.

Thinking quickly, Kirito decided to call for his new ally. Though he preferred to fight his own battles as much as possible, even Kirito was wise enough to know when he was caught up in a situation he could not handle alone.

"Eugeo, lend me your strength…" he whispered.

_Are you in need of my help, already, Kirito? You haven't even set foot outside this cavern!_ the knight-spirit teased, speaking directly into Kirito's mind before the Blue Rose Sword in his left hand started to glow with a bluish-white light.

Realizing that he didn't need to speak out loud for Eugeo to hear him, Kirito gave a low growl and made a snarky retort to his spirit contractor in his thoughts.

_I don't plan to make a habit of calling on you to assist me often, Sir Eugeo. I just happen to have little choice right now because I'm surrounded by these blasted goblins!_

_Of course, Kirito. You actually made a wise choice since you won't be able to save the Human Empire and its people if you got yourself killed here and now. If you want my assistance, you must give me at least some control over your body._

Knowing that he had little choice if he wanted to leave this cavern alive, Kirito consented.

_Very well._

As soon as Kirito gave his consent, he immediately noticed and felt what appeared to be rune-like markings appear on his skin, most noticeably on his arms and neck, as Eugeo started to take partial hold of his body and the Blue Rose Sword glowed brighter, its brilliant light forcing the goblins to back off and cover their eyes.

Using the distraction, the light had provided, Eugeo tapped into his Sacred Weapon's power.

"Release Recollection," he commanded in Kirito's voice before plunging the Blue Rose Sword into the ground.

Were it an ordinary sword, Eugeo's Sacred Weapon would have likely broken from such a move. Instead, the ice-colored sword easily punctured the rock-hard ground as easily as if were made of wood or paper.

As soon as the tip of the Blue Rose Sword made contact with the ground, a circle of light and energy emanated from it and expanded throughout the cavern until it engulfed every single goblin within range and froze them in solid ice.

Knowing that the effect would only last a few moments, Eugeo urged his human contractor to act quickly.

_Now's your chance to attack, Kirito. Use our combined strength to take them all down! _he commanded.

Kirito wasted no time and moved to take down the creatures that stood between him and his only path back to the outside world. With Eugeo's assistance, his strength and speed were doubled, enabling Kirito to not only fight his way past the goblins, but also to destroy them completely one by one. Thanks to his spirit contractor, Kirito swiftly and easily killed each and every goblin that tried to make sure he never saw the light of day again by shattering them as they were helplessly encased in ice.

Once it was certain that the goblins were all dead, Eugeo released his hold on Kirito who breathed a sigh of relief. Although he liked the feeling of being stronger, Kirito still wasn't exactly comfortable with handing over control of his own body to another being, even if only partly and for a few moments.

_Well, I'm sorry you don't like it, but I'm afraid you'll have to try and get used to it if you want to use my power, Kirito…_ Eugeo said humorously.

Kirito scowled when he realized that Eugeo could read his thoughts as well as sense his feelings. ***8***

_Hey, stay out of my head, will you? Unless I need your help, I don't want you probing around in there,_ Sir_ Eugeo. Don't you think such a thing is unbecoming for the spirit of an Integrity Knight of all people?_

_Ha, ha… Well, I'm sorry, Kirito. That's an unfortunate setback of forming a contract with me. Unless you can hide your thoughts and feelings from even yourself, I'm going to end up hearing and sensing them whether I want to or not. But there is no need for you to worry; it's not like I can tell anyone anything about you that you don't want them to know, especially since you are the only one who can see or hear me._

Kirito groaned when he realized that in addition to being required to give the knight-spirit control over his body when he chose to ask for his assistance, Kirito had also unwittingly sacrificed his personal privacy when he decided to make a contract with Eugeo. But he supposed it could not be helped if he was to have any chance of victory against the Dark Emperor as well as any chance of getting home.

_Fine. I'll tolerate having you inside my head for now. Just don't get too used to it because once I have fulfilled the Pontifex's conditions and save the Human Empire, I want our contract severed for good. _

_Of course, Kirito. You have my word that once your task is done and I am freed from my curse, you'll never see or hear from me again._

Kirito sighed in relief. Even if he was deceased, Eugeo was still an Integrity Knight who valued his honor and would not tarnish it by going back on his word.

_Good. Well, then, let's get going. We've got an empire to save…_ Kirito inwardly muttered as he sheathed both of his swords and turned to leave the cavern. As soon as Kirito was about to go back into the cave, his crystal guide appeared before him once more to lead the way back out. ***9***

**Footnotes:**

**1\. In canon SAO, Fizel and Linel are likely just friends and accomplices but in my fic, they are sisters.**

**2\. The Night Sky sword in the Alicization arc of SAO is made from the wood of the Gigas Ceder but in my fic, it is made of cooled magma so it always feels warm to the touch.**

**3\. In my fic, Cardinal is the ruler of the Human Empire after succeeding Quinella as the Pontifex of the Axiom Church.**

**4\. The Underworld in my fic is not VR but a real world that is parallel to the one Kirito came from.**

**5\. As a son of a humble farming family, Eugeo does not have a surname but I made one up for him.**

**6\. Eugeo taking on Sachi's form and trying to fool Kirito with an illusion of his time back in Aincrad is a direct reference to Owari no Seraph where the demons test the willpower and resolve of potential human contractors using distorted illusions of their pasts and loved ones.**

**7\. In Owari no Seraph, the demons agree to obey their human contractors and submit to them so long as their will does not falter. If the human shows any sign of weakness, the demons will take over their bodies.**

**8\. When making a contract with a human, the demon has access to their contractor's memories as well as thoughts, feelings, and desires. A contract with a demon enhances a human's strength and gives them powers but at the price of their personal privacy as well as control over their bodies whenever they call upon the demon for assistance in battle.**

**9\. I intend for this fic to be a one-shot crossover blending elements from Sword Art Online and Owari no Seraph. I am not going to re-write the entire Alicization: War of the Underworld arc because that will be too much work. I leave it to the readers' imagination as to how Kirito will faire in the upcoming battle with Eugeo as his spirit contractor.**


End file.
